Marketing Deconstructed

LinkedIn isn’t just a resume site anymore; it’s the #1 platform for building trust, expanding your network, and driving real business growth. In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, host Ali Schwanke sits down with Justin Nassiri, founder of Executive Presence, to break down how executives, founders, and sales leaders can create a LinkedIn strategy that actually works. In this episode, you'll...

Let’s face it: business development often feels like a mystery, and for service providers, it can feel downright uncomfortable. In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Ali Schwanke talks with David Ackert, author of The Shortlist and CEO of PipelinePlus, to explore why traditional business development is broken and how professionals can build a more authentic, consistent, and scalable system f...

How do you earn the trust of technical buyers who are skeptical, logical, and allergic to marketing fluff? In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Ali Schwanke sits down with Anthony Garone, co-founder of Edify Content, to break down exactly how to communicate with technical audiences. Anthony shares: How AI has permanently changed content marketing The 5 critical things your content must incl...

How are content teams really adapting to AI in 2025? Join Ali Schwanke and Josh Spilker, Content & SEO Lead at AirOps, as they unpack the latest insights from the State of Content Teams 2025 report. Based on findings from 144 content leaders, this episode explores the future of AI in content workflows, why answer engine optimization (AEO) is rising, and how roles like the content engineer are...

Struggling to grow beyond word-of-mouth and referrals? Ali sits down with Jason Pearl, founder of Nacre Consulting, to unpack the journey from unpredictable referrals to a scalable, trackable sales funnel—and how HubSpot played a key role in that transition. Jason shares practical frameworks for overcoming growth ceilings, defining your ICP, creating a sales playbook, and building a reliable reven...

Content marketing is changing—are you keeping up? The old model of creating SEO-driven content designed for search engines is no longer enough. Today, successful businesses are winning by creating content designed for scrollers, not searchers. In this episode, we sit down with Erik Jacobson, CEO of Hatch and host of 95% Content, to talk about the two essential types of content every business needs...

Is your business stuck because you’re the only one who can close deals? In this episode, Ali Schwanke interviews Scott Peterson, author of Beyond the Founder Rainmaker, to break down why so many founder-led companies struggle to build a successful sales team. Scott shares his Revenue Compass methodology, revealing how to identify blue-chip clients, avoid dirty money, and build a repeatable sales p...

Want to unlock game-changing creative ideas? Ali Schwanke sits down with Craig Mangan to talk about the science behind creative thinking, idea generation, and how to avoid the dreaded “Swoop and Poop” that kills great ideas. Craig shares his proven frameworks, including Jealous Inspiration Sessions, Worst First, and Crazy Eights, to help teams unlock their best ideas while navigating workplace pol...

The hardest thing in marketing today? Attention. It’s easier than ever to start a company and build a product, but getting attention? That’s the real challenge. In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Mark Kilens, CEO & Co-Founder of TACK, reveals why the traditional go-to-market playbook is outdated, and how companies need to shift toward a People-Led GTM strategy to thrive. What you'...

What if the secret to accelerating marketing growth was actually slowing down? In this episode, operations educator Jen Bergren joins Ali Schwanke to reveal the counterintuitive truth: fast-moving marketing teams thrive because they prioritize documentation. Discover how the "move fast and break things" mindset can sabotage growth—and how simple, strategic documentation can be your competitive edg...

Every marketing team has heard it: “We need more leads—and fast.” But is your business focusing too much on immediate lead gen while neglecting brand strategy? In this episode, Dan Gershenson, founder of High Caliber Branding, breaks down why lead generation and brand strategy often get confused—and how that confusion can cost you real growth. What we cover: How to properly qualify leads The impac...

SEO isn't what it used to be. If you're still following outdated tactics, Google has already moved on—and so should you! In this episode, Mordy Oberstein breaks down everything marketers and business owners need to know about modern SEO. Whether you're struggling with indexing, ranking, or content strategy, this episode will give you actionable insights that actually work. What You’ll...

When it comes to sales success, it’s easy to fall into the trap of hustle culture and endless grinding. But what if there was a better way? In this episode, Ali Schwanke sits down with Jordan Benjamin, a peak performance sales coach and former HubSpotter, to explore the power of purposeful systems, emotional intelligence, and mindful habits in achieving lasting sales success. Key insights include:...

Discover the untapped power of podcast advertising! 🚀 In this episode, Ali Schwanke is joined by Kerry Tracy to explore why podcasting is an ideal advertising channel for SMBs and brands. Learn how to target niche audiences effectively, understand the three types of podcast ads, and discover how the 40/40/20 rule drives results. Kerry also shares insights on leveraging tools like dynamic ad inser...

Unlock the secret to escaping founder-led sales and scaling your business with clarity and precision! In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Ali Schwanke chats with Corey Quinn—author of Anyone, Not Everyone and host of The Deep Specialization™ Podcast. Discover how vertical specialization transformed Corey’s business journey, helping companies scale from $20M to $150M in annual revenue. Lear...

PR isn't just about press releases or ads—it's a strategic powerhouse for brand growth. In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed, Ali Schwanke interviews PR expert Michelle Garrett, author of B2B PR That Gets Results. Michelle shares actionable advice on leveraging PR effectively in today's fast-moving world. What You'll Learn: The evolving role of PR and how to integrate it with AI-based search...

In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed , Ali Schwanke dives into the world of brand strategy with Brian Sooy, author of Trade Secrets and founder of Aespire. Learn why service companies struggle to market effectively—and how to fix it. Key Takeaways: Why clear messaging beats being "the best" every time. How to align your business and brand with Brian’s four-part framework: Clarity, Orientatio...

In this episode of 'Marketing Deconstructed,' Tyler Mount, a personal branding expert and founder of Henry Street Creative, discusses the importance of authentic personal branding, differentiating oneself in both corporate and personal spheres. He explains how an authentic personal brand is crucial, regardless of one's position, and provides actionable steps to create and improve it. We delve into...

What makes people remember you—and choose you—over anyone else? In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed , host Ali Schwanke chats with Kay Miller, author of Uncopyable You , to explore the power of building an intentional, memorable personal brand.  Whether you’re in sales, leading a team, or an entrepreneur, Kay shares actionable insights on how to stand out in a crowded market and leave a las...

Marketing strategy vs tactics - what's the difference? And where do you start when building a strategy for your company? In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed , B2B marketing strategist and host Ali Schwanke sits down with Kenneth Burke, VP of Marketing at Text Request and author of Burke Bits, to break down the elements of an effective marketing strategy - including hard learned lessons...

When is the absolute best time to call a prospect? Should you call the c-suite or not? How do you capture leads on LinkedIn? What AI tools help vs hurt? It's ALL inside this episode! This action-packed interview features a mountain of tactical ideas from Adam Sockel, Content marketing leader at Orum, and host of the Bold Calling Podcast. Digging into the insights gleaned from thousands of call...

A well-organized and structured CRM is the bedrock of great marketing. But a messy and disjointed system could very well be costing you opportunities and creating all types of issues in your business - not to mention preventing quick decision making. In this solo episode, you'll learn the signs and symptoms of a CRM that may need some help, what that's costing your business in terms of fin...

In a world where data and tools like ZoomInfo and Apollo can easily generate lists of potential customers, why is it still so difficult to get people to respond or care about your company? In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed , host Ali Schwanke is joined by business growth advisor and marketing strategist Troy Sandidge to delve into the complexities of buyer psychology. Troy and Ali break d...

In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed , Ali Schwanke chats with Brad Smith, founder of Automation Links, better known as "The Follow-Up Automation Guy." Brad dives into the importance of experimenting with marketing tactics across platforms like Twitter and YouTube, and how automation can transform your follow-up strategies. Discover how to improve your conversion rates by engaging...

In this episode of Marketing Deconstructed , I sit down with Michael Hartmann, host of the Ops Cast podcast and owner of Hartmann Advisory Group, to explore the challenges and solutions around marketing and sales alignment. Michael shares his experiences and practical advice on how to foster better collaboration between marketing and sales teams, the importance of making systems user-friendly for...